This is probably no surprise to many employers. We have all seen some top achievers, a few people that were not capable at all and many people who were just OK. The thing is that those “OK” people represent 68% of the population.

To put this in perspective, this is what it looks like:
Average performers represent 68% of the population.
High performers represent 16% of the population.
Low performers represent 16% of the population.

Because nobody really wants to hire low performers, high performers are hard to find and the majority (68%) of job applicants are going to be in the “average” category. So the challenge for employers is going to be finding better performing employees among the average category.

Take another look at the image above. Let’s assume that 1-2-3 represents low-performing employees and 8-9-10 represents high performers. So how can you recognize and choose the “7” over the “4” when you’re dealing with a majority of average performers? Or – think about this one – how you can know for sure someone who appears to be “8” or “9” is not actually “3” or “4”? 

It’s all going to come down to measuring talent, filtering out non-talent and finding the right job fit.

 As we all know, a good office manager doesn’t necessary make a good salesperson but could possibly make a good bookkeeper. But how do you know that for sure, especially when you’re dealing with a total stranger? How can you really know anything about him?

The answer is gathering relevant information combined with interviews and reference checks, each representing about a third of your decision-making process.

Unless you employ private detectives and behavioral psychologists and use lie detectors as part of your hiring strategies, it’s impossible to make educated hiring decisions that are based on relevant information – that is, information strictly related to the interviewee.

But who has that kind of money to spend on hiring someone for $30-50,000 – or even a bit higher – salary? I don’t know. Maybe some people do. I do know, though, that on average recruitment agencies charge 15% of annual salary for finding employees. And 15% of $50,000 is $7,500. I bet I could hire private detectives and behavioral psychologists to sit in on a few interviews for that kind of money.

But to be realistic, and most efficient, there is absolutely no need for such expense of time and money. Try to remember and understand the following: “If we can measure it, we can manage it.” Say it again, out loud this time: “If we can measure it, we can manage it.”

In other words, if you can measure it you can understand it. We don’t often realize that we constantly employ measurement systems in our daily life: shoe sizes, vehicle speeds, food recipes, etc. And what would happen if we use wrong measurements? The answer is obvious.

The ideal and the most cost-effective solution ($50-$150 per person) for employers is to implement skills testing in combination with behavioral assessments.

By doing, so they’ll be able to assess the job fit and understand things like dependability, concentration, initiative, self-discipline, trainability, communication and reaction to criticism to name a few. And they can also assess proficiencies in specific areas such as Microsoft Office, typing, grammar, etc.

Today’s technology is able to offer a variety of online tools to help employers minimize hiring cost, decrease turnover and increase productivity simply by making better and more efficient hiring decisions.

This is a serious concern for mothers re-entering the work force. Trusting another person, often a total stranger, with caring for your child can be one of the most stressful parts of parenthood.

Some people may need a babysitter only occasionally, while others need to trust in one when they are at work several days a week.

For a parent to find a trusted babysitter is more important – after all, the well-being of a child is on the line – than for an employer to find a trusted employee. But the process should be no different. The trust factor has to be assessed and measured using scientific tools, not just based on intuition.  

Most people don’t have much experience with interviewing job-seekers. So they likely don’t have the skills, knowledge or tools to help in the decision-making process.

Few people are aware that companies have been using hiring assessments, i.e., tests that determine a candidate’s job suitability, for a long time. In today’s technological age, hiring assessments have been transformed from paper to the easy-to-use online platform, allowing employers to administer testing remotely or in the office. Results turnaround is instant upon test completion and comes directly to the email inbox.

And most people don’t know they can take advantage of the technology for hiring babysitters. Canada Human Resources Centre has affordable tests available to the public. The price of one test is $35, very reasonable even for a family with a limited budget. Considering the money is spent on due diligence for hiring someone who is going to care for a child, the cost of a test becomes an investment in reassurance and security.

Here are five helpful tips that will assist parents in finding a trusted babysitter:

1. Interview several candidates, to see what your options are and to gain some experience in the interview process.

2. Call every reference (at least 2-3 of them) of the person you want to hire. Keep in mind most people don’t like to give negative feedback.

3. Use hiring tests such as the Job Lie Detector Test and/or Care Provider Job Fit Personality Test to determine if your prospect is trustworthy and has the right qualities.

4. Prepare a list of expected duties and other things you think are important. Use the Job Interview Guide, written by Gary Birshtein, to assist you in the interview process.

5. Install a wireless camera that you can watch from your smart phone and record on your computer’s hard drive.

This test is available in 2 versions – short version and long version.

A career as a caregiver/ babysitter is not for everyone. It requires excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in sometimes stressful and physically demanding environment. This job can also be very challenging. This test will determine whether a person has the necessary skills and personality traits to succeed in this occupation.

A person who scores well on this test would likely do well in this line of work.

 - Long Version –

Areas that are being tested and assessed:

Interpersonal Skills

It is essential for caregivers to have excellent interpersonal skills since they work in such

close contact with others, and have a great deal of influence over the patients in their care.

Helpfulness

To be helpful requires you to be available to others. This means giving support and encouragement when someone needs you, and being patient and your cooperative when necessary.

Empathy

Empathy is defined as the ability to identify with and understand the feelings, circumstances, and motives of others. Being sensitive to the feelings of their patients, who are facing physical and emotional hardships.

Emotional Strength

Emotional strength refers to overall calmness and emotional security.

Reaction to Stress

Since stress can’t be eliminated entirely, it is crucial to learn how to deal with it. Being able to cope with stress appropriately will make job candidate more productive.

Discretion

Indicates if candidate will show good judgment and be able to keep confidential information private.

Social Insight

Social Insight refers to being able to sense how others are feeling without having them outright tell you. This is an especially important skill for caregivers because their patients may not be able to verbally express their discomfort.

Communication Skills

Communication is not as simple as choosing the right words; many factors come into play, and we often find ourselves able to communicate smoothly in one situation while we bumble our way through another.

Diligence

Diligent people work steadily and industriously. Candidates that are hired for this position are expected to be very hardworking individuals for the sake of people they are working with.

Dependability

Good candidates must be highly dependable since many people will rely on them a great deal.

Attention to Detail

Meticulousness refers to one’s attention to detail. It is important to point out that even the smallest of details can be very significant, especially when caring for another individual.

Comfort with decision-making

Decisions sometimes can be a matter of life and death. Good candidates need to be able to make important decisions without hesitation. Often this involves relying on a gut instinct or taking a chance when the information provided in a situation is incomplete.

Patience – Patience is defined as calmness, self-control, and willingness or ability to tolerate delay. Impatience impairs ability to perform well.

Attitude Towards Dishonesty

How a candidate feels about dishonest behaviors in others can be an indicator of their own behaviors. It is likely that caregivers will have access to sensitive information as well as to medication and expensive equipment.

Optimism

A positive attitude affects not just one person, but also the lives of those around that person. Having an optimistic and upbeat attitude will allow good candidate to provide high quality service. Also, optimistic people are likely to be happier with their jobs in general.

Social Values at Work

People who score high on this scale really enjoy human contact in the workplace.

 - Short Version - 

Areas that are being tested and assessed:

sample assessment, click here >>

Conscientiousness

Assesses how organized, reliable, and detail oriented a person is.

Disregard for others

Assesses the tendency to conduct one self in a manner that shows disrespect for others or lack of self-monitoring.

Agreeableness

Assesses the willingness to help and cooperate with others.

Emotional Strength

Assesses the ability to be self-reliant, emotionally tough, and to work well under pressure.

Fortitude

Ability to withstand difficult or distasteful tasks.

Integrity

Assesses tendency to show good judgment, to take responsibility for one’s actions, and to conduct oneself in an honest manner

Impression Management

Assesses the degree to which the results on this test are distorted or manipulated in a socially- desirable manner.

Few people have the natural ability for being successful in a sales career.

The best salespeople are extremely well off, and most claim to love the ups and downs of their jobs.

Most successful salespeople share a set of common characteristics and skills, and most of these can actually be learned and honed to perfection.

The goal of the Sales Personality Test is to determine whether the test-taker has the natural instincts, traits and skills needed to succeed and survive in your sales organization and in the world of sales.

As evidenced by the high turnover rate in this field, this isn’t a job for everyone.

To download short sample version of the test report, click here >>

In order to be a successful salesperson, one needs to possess a number of aptitudes and personality traits which include, among other things, the ability to think “on-your-toes” and to trust your intuition, self-confidence, a strong desire to succeed, a strong interest in other people and their lives, positive thinking, competitiveness, and an ability to thrive under pressure. It is also crucial to have a good grasp of the step-by-step process of making a sale.

Areas that are being tested and assessed:

Clerical workers are employed in almost every kind of business and in all levels of government.

Most admin/clerical workers perform tasks such as planning, scheduling meetings and appointments. They also organize and maintain files and sometime serve as an executive’s assistant who is ready to add input and their services wherever necessary.

Office administrators can also act as liaisons between executives and clients; therefore, it is vital that these workers possess excellent communication skills as well as a pleasant and approachable personality.

The following is a short of the areas being tested and the impact they have on the admin/clerical line of work.

Areas that are being tested and assessed:

Conscientiousness

Refers to being thorough, careful, and keeping one’s word. These are highly desirable skills for clerical workers, who work in a field where a missed detail could cost the company a lot of money.

Diligence

Office workers are expected to be very hardworking individuals since, for the most part, they are largely responsible for the daily operations of the business.

Dependability

Employers rely on clerical workers a great deal to keep their business running smoothly and effectively. Therefore, it is essential that workers be reliable as well as keep their word.

Attention to Detail

Meticulousness refers to attention to detail. In clerical work, even the smallest of details canbe very significant.

Efficiency

Efficiency is the ability to use the time and skill available in an appropriate and practical manner.

Self-discipline

Administrative and clerical workers must be very self-disciplined since they do not usually work under much supervision.

Time Management

Office admin workers must be able to manage their time wisely and effectively. These employees are responsible for many tasks and duties which they must be able to prioritize and complete in a time efficient manner.

Concentration

Administrative and clerical workers must be able to keep their focus on what needs to be done.

Adaptability/Trainability

People who do clerical and administrative work must be open to the possibility of retraining and continuing education in order to keep-up-to-date with the latest computer software and office automation.

Tolerance for Routine Work

Since many clerical tasks are repetitive, the ability to tolerate routine is essential. These individuals must adhere to certain procedures, as many duties in this field have to be done “by the book”.

Communication Skills

Many office clerks are responsible for answering telephones and greeting customers so it is important to possess excellent communication skills. These skills consist of delivering concise messages to others and, equally important, being able to take the important points from what others say.

Conflict Resolution Skills

Office Admin employees usually act as liaisons between executives and clients therefore, if conflict arises, these individuals must possess the skills necessary to resolve the issue in the most effective manner possible.

Willingness to Compromise

Admin/office workers must be willing to compromise when a difference in opinion arises, especially when dealing with clients.

Desire for Control

Since office personnel work under authority, it is necessary for them to follow direction and instructions willingly and enthusiastically.

Reaction to Criticism

Clerical workers must be willing to accept and learn from constructive criticism. Since they will be working with a variety of people, they will often be exposed to both constructive and destructive criticism.

Arithmetic

Filing

Short-term Memory

Typing/Proofreading

Data Entry

Chart/Graph Reading

Reading Comprehension

Customer service representatives act as liaison between companies and their customers. They provide information on a wide variety of products and services, answer questions, address concerns and problems, and handle field complaints.

Customer service representatives use a variety of communication platforms including phone, fax, email, and in-person meetings, depending on the type of company. With many companies providing 24 hour service, customer representatives sometimes have little time between clinets, and must be able to offer quality service within set time constraints to reduce waiting time.

Areas that are being tested and assessed:

Communication skills

Traits and skills necessary to interact with others both as a speaker and listener

Conflict resolution skills

Traits and skills necessary to efficiently deal with conflicts and disagreements

Psychological Strength

Assesses an individual’s ability to cope with the job’s daily challenges

Patience level

Ability to be patient with others

Hostility

Ability to control negative emotions and behaviors

Self-motivation

Ability to create encouragement from within and persevere in order to accomplish goals

Reaction to criticism

Ability to tolerate any type of criticism

Reaction to intimidation

Ability to handle intimidation

Mental strength

Ability to manage difficult people and challenging situations

Hiring Solutions for Hotels in Manitoba

Employment Assessments: used to hire, promote and retain the very best people.

Job Lie Detector Test

Customer Service Personality Test

Managerial Skills Assessment

Employee Engagement Assessment

Skills Testing: used to quickly and efficiently determine level of proficiency in the area that is being tested.

Skill Testing  (Including MS Office, Bar Manager/Bartender Test, Wait Staff Test, Wine Terminology Test and Sanitation Test)

> Members of Manitoba Hotel Association are eligible for group rate discount <

To book your free, non obligation, consultation with local agent, contact us today.

MARKET OVERVIEW

 The hospitality industry has always struggled with a high turnover rate. According to North American research conducted and published in 2007, voluntary turnover rate in the hospitality industry was identified as 21.3%, highest comparing to the other industries that were surveyed. Read full report, click here >>

By improving employee selection, job specific skills recognition, management competency and understanding employee loyalty and dedication the hospitality industry can tremendously improve the turnover rate and increase bottom line results.

To learn how skills testing and hiring assessments can help your organization, contact us today.

To book your free, non obligation, consultation with local agent, contact us today.

Getting to Know Your Candidates

The setup: Breaking the Ice

When you meet applicants, try your best to make them comfortable, using a friendly but professional attitude. Make sure to thank the applicant for his or her interest in the advertised position.

“By the way, was there anything in particular that interested you in this position (job ad)?

That can be a good first question to start a dialogue. Starting your question with “By the way …”, “How about …” and “I was curious about …” makes it sound less intimidating and almost unimportant. Use this technique, and the applicant may provide you with a lot more information than you’ve anticipated.

Try to think about interview as a “getting to know you” meeting. Many candidates feel stressed and intimidated before and during an interview. If you can put them at ease during the first 5-10 minutes, your time with them will be a lot more productive. Read more >>

In recent years, honesty and integrity testing in the place of work has become more and more common. There are several reasons why.

(1) Organizations that were using polygraph testing in the past for their employees were forced to stop due to new legislation. This created a void in job lie detection testing – something that these companies likely regretted because they knew that testing for honesty had great benefits, both in the quality of workers hired and in the reduction of theft and other counterproductive behavior.

(2) Companies are realizing that in order to overcome the high cost of turnover, even in entry-level jobs, they must implement more careful selection procedures. Using Job Lie Detector Testing is one of them.

(3) Significant amount of evidence suggests that companies have every reason to fear that their employees may in fact steal from them. Studies show that Job Lie Detector Testing or honesty testing works. In companies where testing has been implemented, theft and other forms of dishonest behaviors have decreased dramatically.

To download short version of the test report, click here >>

Job Lie Detector Test should be used only for jobs for which it is relevant, such as those that involve access to money and merchandise, jobs where there isn’t much supervision or strict enforcement of rules, and other occupations vulnerable to dishonest behavior.

Job Lie Detector Test contains questions relevant to appropriate on-the-job behavior in general, including evaluation of the likelihood of theft of money or merchandise, time theft, personal use of internet while at work, and other dishonest actions. User’s reactions to questions about these behaviors are being explored in the following categories:

Lenient Attitude Towards Dishonest Behavior: How she/he feels about various behaviors, including how severely she/he thinks people who partake in such behaviors should be punished.

Frequency of Dishonest Behaviors: The frequency of which she/he feels that various dishonest behaviors occur, especially in the workplace setting.

Rationalizing of Dishonest Behavior: Whether s/he agrees with statements that attempt to rationalize dishonest behavior with situational factors.

Self-Reported Dishonesty: How honestly she/he has behaved in the past; how s/he believes s/he is likely to act in the future.

Validity scale: Whether she/he showed signs of faking the answers.

With Job Lie Detector Test you will also receive information about which specific counter productive behaviors user may feel tempted to partake.